Rina Sawayama, the Japanese-British singer and model, has unveiled a new track from her forthcoming album. The song, named ‘Chosen Family’, is a tribute to her queer friends who she now considers family.
‘Chosen Family’ is a deeply emotional song, a powerful anthem dedicated to those who struggle to feel accepted by family, friends or society, something which particularly still affects many LGBTQ people worldwide. Over soft electronic beats, Rina sings sweetly:
“We don’t need to be related to relate / We don’t need to share genes or a surname / We been going through the same thing / Yeah, you are, you are / My chosen, chosen family.”
In a press release, the singer described the meaning and origin of this touching ballad:
“The concept of a chosen family is, to me, a queer one—people are often kicked out of their homes or ostracized by their family, friends, and community after coming out. This can be an incredibly painful experience that can be remedied by finding a new “chosen” family. The chorus lyrics is an invitation for anyone that feels that sense of otherness to find their chosen family, where they can truly be themselves and feel loved. I dedicate this song to my queer friends who I now consider family — it’s essentially a big thank you to them, as I love them so much and I genuinely don’t think I would be alive right now if it weren’t for them.”
This message resonates ever more powerfully nowadays: in time of crisis, our ‘families’ (as in the people that we care about and that care about us – whether they’re chosen or not -) are our biggest support!
Rina Sawayama’s debut album, simply titled ‘Sawayama’, is set to be released on 17th April 2020. ‘Chosen Family’ is the fourth single from it; it is also the first ballad released from the album, following the banger tracks ‘STFU!’, ‘Comme de Garçon (Like the Boys)’, and ‘XS’. The album-supporting tour has been delayed until later this year: tickets for the UK and Ireland shows can be found here.
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